Method of retaining a substrate during a substrate transferring process
    1.
    发明授权
    Method of retaining a substrate during a substrate transferring process 有权
    在衬底转移过程中保持衬底的方法

    公开(公告)号:US07374393B2

    公开(公告)日:2008-05-20

    申请号:US11398218

    申请日:2006-04-05

    IPC分类号: B65G61/00

    摘要: A method and apparatus for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system, or cluster tool, that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, a more repeatable wafer processing history (or wafer history), and a reduced footprint. The various embodiments of the cluster tool may utilize two or more robots that are configured in a parallel processing configuration to transfer substrates between the various processing chambers retained in the processing racks so that a desired processing sequence can be performed on the substrates. In one aspect, the parallel processing configuration contains two or more robot assemblies that are adapted to move in a vertical and horizontal directions, to access the various processing chambers retained in generally adjacently positioned processing racks. Generally, the various embodiments described herein are advantageous since each row or group of substrate processing chambers are serviced by two or more robots to allow for increased throughput and increased system reliability. Also, the various embodiments described herein are generally configured to minimize and control the particles generated by the substrate transferring mechanisms, to prevent device yield and substrate scrap problems that can affect the cost of ownership of the cluster tool. The flexible and modular architecture allows the user to configure the number of processing chambers, processing racks, and processing robots required to meet the throughput needs of the user.

    摘要翻译: 一种使用多室处理系统或集群工具处理衬底的方法和设备,其具有增加的系统吞吐量,增加的系统可靠性,改进的器件产量性能,更可重复的晶片处理历史(或晶片历史)以及减少的 脚印。 群集工具的各种实施例可以使用以并行处理配置配置的两个或更多个机器人,以在保留在处理机架中的各种处理室之间传送衬底,使得可以在衬底上执行期望的处理顺序。 在一个方面,并行处理配置包括两个或更多个机器人组件,其适于在垂直和水平方向上移动,以访问保持在通常相邻定位的处理机架中的各种处理室。 通常,这里描述的各种实施例是有利的,因为每行或一组衬底处理室由两个或更多个机器人来维护,以允许增加的生产量和增加的系统可靠性。 此外,本文所述的各种实施例通常被配置为最小化和控制由衬底传送机构产生的颗粒,以防止可能影响群集工具的所有权成本的装置产量和衬底废料问题。 灵活和模块化的架构允许用户配置满足用户吞吐量需求所需的处理室,处理机架和处理机器人的数量。

    Mixed frequency CVD apparatus
    2.
    发明授权
    Mixed frequency CVD apparatus 失效
    混合频率CVD装置

    公开(公告)号:US6098568A

    公开(公告)日:2000-08-08

    申请号:US980520

    申请日:1997-12-01

    摘要: A substrate processing system that includes a ceramic substrate holder having an RF electrode embedded within the substrate holder and a gas inlet manifold spaced apart from the substrate holder. The gas inlet manifold supplies one or more process gases through multiple conical holes to a reaction zone of a substrate processing chamber within the processing system and also acts as a second RF electrode. Each conical hole has an outlet that opens into the reaction zone and an inlet spaced apart from the outlet that is smaller in diameter than said outlet. A mixed frequency RF power supply is connected to the substrate processing system with a high frequency RF power source connected to the gas inlet manifold electrode and a low frequency RF power source connected to the substrate holder electrode. An RF filter and matching network decouples the high frequency waveform from the low frequency waveform. Such a configuration allows for an enlarged process regime and provides for deposition of films, including silicon nitride films, having physical characteristics that were previously unattainable.

    摘要翻译: 一种衬底处理系统,其包括陶瓷衬底保持器,其具有嵌入衬底保持器内的RF电极和与衬底保持器间隔开的气体入口歧管。 气体入口歧管将一个或多个处理气体通过多个锥形孔提供到处理系统内的衬底处理室的反应区,并且还用作第二RF电极。 每个锥形孔具有通向反应区的出口和与出口间隔开的直径小于所述出口的入口。 混合频率RF电源与连接到气体入口歧管电极的高频RF电源和连接到衬底保持器电极的低频RF电源连接到衬底处理系统。 RF滤波器和匹配网络将高频波形与低频波形分离。 这种构造允许扩大的工艺方案并且提供具有先前无法实现的物理特性的膜(包括氮化硅膜)的沉积。

    MULTI-LEVEL LOAD LOCK CHAMBER, TRANSFER CHAMBER, AND ROBOT SUITABLE FOR INTERFACING WITH SAME
    3.
    发明申请
    MULTI-LEVEL LOAD LOCK CHAMBER, TRANSFER CHAMBER, AND ROBOT SUITABLE FOR INTERFACING WITH SAME 有权
    多级负载锁定室,转移室和适用于与其相接的机器人

    公开(公告)号:US20090092466A1

    公开(公告)日:2009-04-09

    申请号:US12257262

    申请日:2008-10-23

    IPC分类号: H01L21/677

    摘要: A new apparatus for processing substrates is disclosed. A multi-level load lock chamber having four environmentally isolated chambers interfaces with a transfer chamber that has a robotic assembly. The robotic assembly has two arms that each can move horizontally as the robotic assembly rotates about its axis. The arms can reach into the isolated chambers of the load lock to receive substrates from the bottom isolated chambers, transport the substrates to process chambers, and then place the substrates in the upper chambers. The isolated chambers in the load lock chamber may have a pivotably attached lid that may be opened to access the inside of the isolated chambers.

    摘要翻译: 公开了一种用于处理衬底的新设备。 具有四个环境隔离室的多级装载锁定室与具有机器人组件的传送室接口。 机器人组件具有两个臂,每个臂可随着机器人组件围绕其轴旋转而水平移动。 臂可以到达负载锁的隔离室,以从底部隔离室接收衬底,将衬底输送到处理室,然后将衬底放置在上腔室中。 负载锁定室中的隔离室可以具有可枢转地连接的盖,其可以打开以进入隔离室的内部。

    Universal mid-frequency matching network
    4.
    发明授权
    Universal mid-frequency matching network 失效
    通用中频匹配网络

    公开(公告)号:US07094313B2

    公开(公告)日:2006-08-22

    申请号:US10829520

    申请日:2004-04-21

    IPC分类号: C23F1/02 C23C14/00 C23C16/00

    摘要: A substrate processing system is provided with a processing chamber, an alternating voltage supply, and an impedance matching network. The processing chamber holds a substrate during processing and the alternating voltage supply is connected with the processing chamber to capacitively couple energy to a plasma formed within the processing chamber. The impedance matching network is coupled with the alternating voltage supply and has a variable resistive element and a variable reactive element, whose states respectively define distinct real and imaginary parts of an impedance.

    摘要翻译: 衬底处理系统设置有处理室,交流电压源和阻抗匹配网络。 处理室在处理期间保持基板,并且交流电压供应与处理室连接以将能量电容耦合到处理室内形成的等离子体。 阻抗匹配网络与交流电源耦合,并具有可变电阻元件和可变无功元件,其状态分别定义阻抗的不同实部和虚部。

    SUBSTRATE EDGE TUNING WITH RETAINING RING
    5.
    发明申请
    SUBSTRATE EDGE TUNING WITH RETAINING RING 审中-公开
    基板边缘调整与保持环

    公开(公告)号:US20120034848A1

    公开(公告)日:2012-02-09

    申请号:US13204541

    申请日:2011-08-05

    IPC分类号: B24B1/00 B24B41/06

    摘要: A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polisher includes a base, a substrate mounting surface, an annular inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring has a lower surface configured to contact an upper surface of a substrate positioned on the substrate mounting surface, an outer surface, and an inwardly facing surface extending downwardly from the lower surface and is configured to circumferentially surround the edge of the substrate, the inner ring vertically movable relative to the substrate mounting surface. The outer ring has an inner surface circumferentially surrounding the inner ring, an outer surface, and a lower surface to contact the polishing pad, and the outer ring is vertically movable relative to and independently of the substrate mounting surface and the inner ring.

    摘要翻译: 用于化学机械抛光机的载体头包括基底,基底安装表面,环形内环和外环。 所述内环具有被配置为接触位于所述基板安装表面上的基板的上表面的下表面,外表面和从所述下表面向下延伸的面向内的表面,并且构造成周向地围绕所述基板的边缘, 所述内环可相对于所述基板安装表面垂直移动。 外环具有周向包围内环的内表面,外表面和与抛光垫接触的下表面,并且外环可相对于基板安装表面和内环而垂直地可移动。

    HIGH PRODUCTIVITY PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER
    6.
    发明申请
    HIGH PRODUCTIVITY PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER 审中-公开
    高生产力等离子体加工室

    公开(公告)号:US20090068356A1

    公开(公告)日:2009-03-12

    申请号:US12255884

    申请日:2008-10-22

    IPC分类号: C23C16/00 H01L21/3065

    摘要: Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to apparatus and methods for a plasma-processing chamber requiring less maintenance and downtime and possessing improved reliability over the prior art. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a substrate support resting on a ceramic shaft, an inner shaft allowing for electrical connections to the substrate support at atmospheric pressure, an aluminum substrate support resting on but not fixed to a ceramic support structure, sapphire rest points swaged into the substrate support, and a heating element inside the substrate support arranged in an Archimedes spiral to reduce warping of the substrate support and to increase its lifetime. Methods include increasing time between in-situ cleans of the chamber by reducing particle generation from chamber surfaces. Reduced particle generation occurs via temperature control of chamber components and pressurization of non-processing regions of the chamber relative to the processing region with a purge gas.

    摘要翻译: 本发明的实施例一般涉及等离子体处理室的装置和方法,其需要较少的维护和停机时间,并且比现有技术具有更高的可靠性。 在一个实施例中,该设备包括搁置在陶瓷轴上的基板支撑件,允许在大气压下与基板支撑件电连接的内轴,支撑在陶瓷支撑结构上但不固定到陶瓷支撑结构的铝基板支撑件,模锻的蓝宝石支架 衬底支撑件内部的加热元件和布置在阿基米德螺旋中的衬底支撑件内的加热元件,以减少衬底支撑件的翘曲并增加其寿命。 方法包括通过减少从室表面产生颗粒来增加室内原位清洗之间的时间。 通过腔室部件的温度控制和腔室相对于处理区域的吹扫气体的非处理区域的加压而发生减少的颗粒产生。

    Substrate gripper for a substrate handling robot
    7.
    发明授权
    Substrate gripper for a substrate handling robot 有权
    用于基板处理机器人的基板夹具

    公开(公告)号:US07374391B2

    公开(公告)日:2008-05-20

    申请号:US11315873

    申请日:2005-12-22

    IPC分类号: B25J15/00

    摘要: A method and apparatus for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system, or cluster tool, that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, a more repeatable wafer processing history (or wafer history), and a reduced footprint. The various embodiments of the cluster tool may utilize two or more robots that are configured in a parallel processing configuration to transfer substrates between the various processing chambers retained in the processing racks so that a desired processing sequence can be performed on the substrates. In one aspect, the parallel processing configuration contains two or more robot assemblies that are adapted to move in a vertical and horizontal directions, to access the various processing chambers retained in generally adjacently positioned processing racks. Generally, the various embodiments described herein are advantageous since each row or group of substrate processing chambers are serviced by two or more robots to allow for increased throughput and increased system reliability. Also, the various embodiments described herein are generally configured to minimize and control the particles generated by the substrate transferring mechanisms, to prevent device yield and substrate scrap problems that can affect the cost of ownership of the cluster tool. The flexible and modular architecture allows the user to configure the number of processing chambers, processing racks, and processing robots required to meet the throughput needs of the user.

    摘要翻译: 一种使用多室处理系统或集群工具处理衬底的方法和装置,其具有增加的系统吞吐量,增加的系统可靠性,改进的器件产量性能,更可重复的晶片处理历史(或晶片历史)以及减少的 脚印。 群集工具的各种实施例可以使用以并行处理配置配置的两个或更多个机器人,以在保留在处理机架中的各种处理室之间传送衬底,使得可以在衬底上执行期望的处理顺序。 在一个方面,并行处理配置包括两个或更多个机器人组件,其适于在垂直和水平方向上移动,以访问保持在通常相邻定位的处理机架中的各种处理室。 通常,这里描述的各种实施例是有利的,因为每行或一组衬底处理室由两个或更多个机器人来维护,以允许增加的生产量和增加的系统可靠性。 此外,本文所述的各种实施例通常被配置为最小化和控制由衬底传送机构产生的颗粒,以防止可能影响群集工具的所有权成本的装置产量和衬底废料问题。 灵活和模块化的架构允许用户配置满足用户吞吐量需求所需的处理室,处理机架和处理机器人的数量。

    Mixed frequency CVD process
    8.
    发明授权
    Mixed frequency CVD process 有权
    混合频率CVD工艺

    公开(公告)号:US06358573B1

    公开(公告)日:2002-03-19

    申请号:US09585258

    申请日:2000-06-02

    IPC分类号: H05H124

    摘要: A substrate processing system that includes a ceramic substrate holder having an RF electrode embedded within the substrate holder and a gas inlet manifold spaced apart from the substrate holder. The gas inlet manifold supplies one or more process gases through multiple conical holes to a reaction zone of a substrate processing chamber within the processing system and also acts as a second RF electrode. Each conical hole has an outlet that opens into the reaction zone and an inlet spaced apart from the outlet that is smaller in diameter than said outlet. A mixed frequency RF power supply is connected to the substrate processing system with a high frequency RF power source connected to the gas inlet manifold electrode and a low frequency RF power source connected to the substrate holder electrode. An RF filter and matching network decouples the high frequency waveform from the low frequency waveform. Such a configuration allows for an enlarged process regime and provides for deposition of films, including silicon nitride films, having physical characteristics that were previously unattainable.

    摘要翻译: 一种衬底处理系统,其包括陶瓷衬底保持器,其具有嵌入衬底保持器内的RF电极和与衬底保持器间隔开的气体入口歧管。 气体入口歧管将一个或多个处理气体通过多个锥形孔提供到处理系统内的衬底处理室的反应区,并且还用作第二RF电极。 每个锥形孔具有通向反应区的出口和与出口间隔开的直径小于所述出口的入口。 混合频率RF电源与连接到气体入口歧管电极的高频RF电源和连接到衬底保持器电极的低频RF电源连接到衬底处理系统。 RF滤波器和匹配网络将高频波形与低频波形分离。 这种构造允许扩大的工艺方案并且提供具有先前无法实现的物理特性的膜(包括氮化硅膜)的沉积。

    Apparatus for reducing entrapment of foreign matter along a moveable shaft of a substrate support
    9.
    发明授权
    Apparatus for reducing entrapment of foreign matter along a moveable shaft of a substrate support 失效
    用于减少沿着衬底支撑件的可移动轴夹带异物的装置

    公开(公告)号:US07582167B2

    公开(公告)日:2009-09-01

    申请号:US11866505

    申请日:2007-10-03

    IPC分类号: C23C16/00 C23F1/00 H01L21/306

    CPC分类号: H01L21/67126 C23C16/4401

    摘要: In one embodiment, the invention is a guard ring for reducing particle entrapment along a moveable shaft of a substrate support. In one embodiment, the guard ring comprises a substantially annular guard ring positioned within a step formed in a sleeve that circumscribes the shaft. The guard ring is positioned to substantially seal a gap separating the shaft from the sleeve, so that the amount of particles and foreign matter that travel within or become trapped in the gap is substantially reduced. In another embodiment, a guard ring comprises a base portion having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, a first flange coupled to the inner perimeter, a second flange coupled to the outer perimeter, and a continuous channel separating the first flange from the second flange. The first flange is adapted to function as a spring that accommodates displacement of the shaft.

    摘要翻译: 在一个实施例中,本发明是用于减少沿基板支撑件的可移动轴的颗粒捕获的保护环。 在一个实施例中,保护环包括大致环形的保护环,其定位在形成在套筒内的步骤中,该套筒环绕轴。 保护环被定位成基本上密封将轴与套筒分开的间隙,使得在间隙内行进或被捕获在间隙中的颗粒和异物的量显着减少。 在另一个实施例中,保护环包括具有内周边和外周边的基部,连接到内周边的第一凸缘,联接到外周边的第二凸缘和将第一凸缘与第二凸缘分开的连续通道 。 第一凸缘适于用作容纳轴的位移的弹簧。

    Apparatus for reducing entrapment of foreign matter along a moveable shaft of a substrate support
    10.
    发明授权
    Apparatus for reducing entrapment of foreign matter along a moveable shaft of a substrate support 失效
    用于减少沿着衬底支撑件的可移动轴夹带异物的装置

    公开(公告)号:US07279049B2

    公开(公告)日:2007-10-09

    申请号:US10775769

    申请日:2004-02-05

    IPC分类号: C23C16/00 C23F1/00 H01L21/306

    CPC分类号: H01L21/67126 C23C16/4401

    摘要: In one embodiment, the invention is a guard ring for reducing particle entrapment along a moveable shaft of a substrate support. In one embodiment, the guard ring comprises a substantially annular guard ring positioned within a step formed in a sleeve that circumscribes the shaft. The guard ring is positioned to substantially seal a gap separating the shaft from the sleeve, so that the amount of particles and foreign matter that travel within or become trapped in the gap is substantially reduced. In another embodiment, a guard ring comprises a base portion having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, a first flange coupled to the inner perimeter, a second flange coupled to the outer perimeter, and a continuous channel separating the first flange from the second flange. The first flange is adapted to function as a spring that accommodates displacement of the shaft.

    摘要翻译: 在一个实施例中,本发明是用于减少沿基板支撑件的可移动轴的颗粒捕获的保护环。 在一个实施例中,保护环包括大致环形的保护环,其定位在形成在套筒内的步骤中,该套筒环绕轴。 保护环被定位成基本上密封将轴与套筒分开的间隙,使得在间隙内行进或被捕获在间隙中的颗粒和异物的量显着减少。 在另一个实施例中,保护环包括具有内周边和外周边的基部,连接到内周边的第一凸缘,联接到外周边的第二凸缘和将第一凸缘与第二凸缘分开的连续通道 。 第一凸缘适于用作容纳轴的位移的弹簧。